The Keeper of Lost Things: The feel-good novel of the year

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Hardly any plot and metaphors as far as the eye can see, and bland characters that "need to be saved" because they have some mental health issues or might have made a mistake in the past. Full of character, wit, and wisdom, The Keeper of Lost Things is heartwarming tale that will enchant fans of The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, Garden Spells, Mrs Queen Takes the Train, and The Silver Linings Playbook. The primary storyline is modern day and revolves around Laura, an assistant to aging author Anthony Peardew. I consider myself to be a modern woman —- I rarely tap into an appreciation for people’s sentimental tchotchkes. First-novelist Tartt goes muzzy when she has to describe human confrontations (the murder, or sex, or even the ping-ponging of fear), and is much more comfortable in transcribing aimless dorm-room paranoia or the TV shows that the malefactors anesthetize themselves with as fate ticks down.

What I liked about this unique writing style was the several short stories that were attached to the list items. I was so drawn to the premise of this book -- a man mourning the loss of the love of his life collects lost objects, hoping to reunite them with their owners, meanwhile writing short stories about each object. I could see how it might be an issue for some as it took me the first two to get the hang of it, but then I really enjoyed it.Throw in a small little love story, a wonderful neighbor Sunshine, a girl with disabilities, and you have such a heartwarming story.

I’m forever cutting things out of magazines and newspapers, and the plot for Keeper was initially sparked by two news articles – the first about the strange things that end up in Lost Property Departments, and the second about the fate of cremation remains that are never claimed from funeral directors. I would describe the novel as a modern day fairy tale in which fantastical events intertwine all of the characters and their fates. Soon after she's hired, Anthony dies, leaving her the house and the responsibility of uniting the lost things with their former owners. I studied English and Drama at Goldsmiths College which was brilliant, but then I came home and got a 'proper' job.By telegraphing the murders, Tartt wants us to be continually horrified at these kids—while inviting us to semi-enjoy their manneristic fetishes and refined tastes.

So says Circe, a sly, petulant, and finally commanding voice that narrates the entirety of Miller’s dazzling second novel. Lime green plastic flower-shaped hair bobbles—Found, on the playing field, Derrywood Park, 2nd September. She comes to know his backstory, including his abiding love for Therese, a beautiful woman killed in a car accident days before they were to be married nearly 40 years earlier.And then there is the Keeper of Lost Things, who knew how to connect the dots for those who needed to find ending in the clues. A voracious reader, she had been writing short stories and outlining novels without finding publishing success since her time as a literature major at London’s Goldsmiths College. Laura, Freddy, the gardener, Sunshine, and Carrot, a rescued dog, begin to connect as a unit slowly developing the strength to overcome obstacles such as the ugly local rumours concerning Laura. Heavy on Anthony's heart, aside from the fact that his fiance died many years ago, before they could get married, is that he lost something very dear to her the day she died.

While there are several pov’s, all are intertwined and have a unique connection to the lost objects.This ersatz-Fitzgerald mix of moralizing and mirror-looking (Jay McInerney shook and poured the shaker first) is very 80's—and in Tartt's strenuous version already seems dated, formulaic. On the day she died, on the way to meet her, Anthony lost some precious item that she gave to him and made him promise to always keep with him. All Laura needs is the help from a plucky neighborhood girl and a conveniently handsome gardener and miracles can happen! She finds herself involved not only with the project, but with the estate’s appealing gardener; a mysterious young woman with Down syndrome and psychic abilities; and a peevish ghost. What a horrendous sentence to impose upon the character, whose sole purpose *seems* to have been to provide some comedy for the woeful characters that were her 'friends' - such as best friend and 'heroine' Laura who mocks her, hides from her in the larder and, at no point I would argue, is likeable in any sense.